Last modified: 2006-03-04 by dov gutterman
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image by István Molnár, 16 May 2001
(2:3)
image by István Molnár, 16 May 2001
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Yesterday I have seen this flags in Sárvár. The upper image
is a flying flag, not an hanging one. The horizontal version is
2:3.
István Molnár, 8 May 2001 and 16 May 2001
Sárvár is a small town with a long history. It is situated
on both banks of the river Rába, which is the geographic axis of
Vas County, at the mouth of the brook Gyöngyös. The area, which
is rich in natural resources, was inhabited since the late Stone
Age. Before the Romans a Celtic tribe, the Boius, owned the
ancient river crossing. Their fortification was located at
Ostffyasszonyfa-Földvárpuszta. Roman legions occupied the area
around the Amber road in the I. century A.D, subsequently
Sárvár became Roman territory. Military camps were set up on
both sides of the river (e.g. Óvár). On the East of the river,
there was a civic settlement established with the name of
Bassiana. Sárvár was inhabited in the post Roman times as well.
A Carolingian cemetery from the IX. century A.D. was excavated at
Végmalom.
The Hungarians built earth entrenchments against the attacking
German forces around the X. century. The king owned the castle
until the 1280ies. In the period of feudal anarchy the Koszegi
family possessed the castle, which came to full manor under the
rule of palatine János Koszegi. In 1327 Sándor Köcsi besieged
the castle and restored the king's rule. Charles I. Robert gave
the inhabitants of Sársziget (today the inner part of the town)
letters of patent. The castle remained under kings' rule until
1390, when Sigmund of Luxemburg donated it and its manor to
János Kanizsai. The family were owners until 1535. The
inhabitants, led by Ferenc Nádasdy, fought the Turkish forces in
1532. 100 people form Sárvár died a heroic death in this
battle. Tamás Nádasdy married Orsolya Kanizsai in 1535, which
meant that the castle now belonged to the Nádasdy family.
He established a true cultural centre in the crumbling,
war-struck country: in 1534 he founded a school, in 1537 a
printery, in charge of which he put János Sylvester, the teacher
of the school. Sylvester translated the New Testament and printed
it in 1541. Thus the first printed book appeared in Hungary!
Nádasdy preferred having important scientists, doctors, humanist
and artist around him. Sebestyén Tinódi Lantos, the famous
lyre-player, died in 1556 and he buried in Sárvár. The last
Nádasdy, Ferenc Chief Justice, was decapitated in 1671,
subsequently the town came under the rule f a new family, the
Draskovich. However their and their successors reign was
dominated by economic declines in the XVIII. century. The new
rulers, the family Este-Modena from 1803, brought new life and
boom in the 1870ies. The first train arrived to Sárvár in 1871,
electricity from the plant in Ikervár in 1897. These two factors
enabled the establishment of heavy industry. The sugar-beet
factory was built in 1895, the artificial silk factory in 1904.
1232 people worked in these two factories and other ones in 1910.
Service industry and trade boomed, the number of inhabitants
rose. The new owner of the manor, Ludwig archduke of Bavaria,
established a prosperous economy. Schools were established, which
served as bases for today's tuition. The hospital was inaugurated
in 1909.
After World War I there was a recession and once the artificial
silk factory closed down (1927) a part of the inhabitants moved
to Belgium and France due to unemployment. After World War II a
new factory, Poultry Corporation, was opened. From 1958 further
factories settled in Sárvár. People in search of oil found 1961
something far more valuable than gold in the bowels of the earth:
thermal water. Thermal tourism is of key importance in the
development for the future.
On 20 August 1968 Sárvár received town charter it was deprived
of 1871. In the 70ies further more factories and schools were
opened. Once the Nádasdy-castle was restored, it became the
cultural centre of the town, back in 1978. An industrial park was
established in 1995. From 1 January 1996,101 years after the
first telephone rang in Sárvár, a modern, up to date digital
network was set up to serve inhabitants and visitors. The new
Thermal and Wellness Spa opened its gates 1 December 2002 to
those wishing to convalesce and relax and offers modern services.
2001 Population Census: 15 719 inh. Ethnic affiliation:
Hungarian: 95,6%; Gipsy: 0,9%; Croatian: 0,2%; German: 0,6%;
unknown, did not wish to answer: 4,3% Religion: Roman Catholic:
80,6%; Greek Catholic: 0,2%; Calvinist: 1,6%; Lutheran: 6,6%;
belonging to other church/denomination: 0,2%; does not belong to
any church/denomination: 2,8%; unknown, did not wish to answer:
7,8%.
Sources: <sarvar.hu>,
<helynevtar.ksh.hu>.
István Molnár, 17 January 2006
image by István Molnár
Source: A magyar varosok cimerei (Coats of arms of
the Hungarian cities and towns); 1975.
István Molnár